Yarn feeding means for circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

Means for feeding yarn to each of a plurality of rotatable knitting stations of a circular knitting machine, the yarn feeding means including a common member rotatable with the knitting stations, means on the common member for positively feeding the yarn associated with each knitting station from a supply source to the needles of the machine to be formed into courses of a knitted fabric, and means on the common member for guiding each yarn along a feeding path from its supply source to the positive feeding means associated therewith and from the positive feeding means to the needles without interference with the feeding path of another of the yarns.

United States Patent Iannucci et al.

[54] YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES [72] Inventors: Vincent A. Iannucci, Lincoln Park; Ronald S. Schartel, Whitfield, both of Pa. I

[73] Assignee: North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Oct. 14, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 80,543

52 Us. 01. ..66/132 R, 242/4701 511 1m. 01. ..11041 15/48 [58] Field 61 seat-611 ..66/9 A, 125 R, 132 R; 242/4701 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 580,825 4/1897 Burleigh ..66/125 R x 1,977,686 10/1934 Mayer ..66/132 2,032,993 3/1936 Larkin ..66/9 A 3,324,685 6/1967 Schmidt et a] ..66/132 1,556,867 10/1925 Munz ..66/125 R 1151 3,691,795 1451 Sept. 19,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 118,361 3/1901 Germany ..66/132 R 215,484 5/1924 Great Britain ..66/125 R 324,785 2/1930 Great Britain ..66/ 132 R 1,556,867 l0/1925 Mascat And Oman ..66/125 R Primary Examiner-Robert R. Mackey Attorney-John R. Bronaugh, Floyd S. Levinson, Dennis O. Connor and Richard A. Speer '57 ABSTRACT Means for feeding yarn to each of a plurality of rotatable knitting stations of a circular knitting machine, the yarn feeding means including a common member rotatable with the knitting stations, means on the common member for positively feeding the yarn associated with each knitting station from a supply source to the needles of the machine to be formed into courses of a knitted fabric, and means on the common member for guiding each yarn along a feeding path from its supply source to the positive feeding means associated therewith and from the positive feeding means to the needles without interference with the feeding path of another of the yarns.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 I972 SHEET 1 BF 3 FIG. I

PATENTEDSEP I 9 m2 sum 2 or 3 YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Commonly, circular knitting machines for the high speed production of tubular fabric are provided with a stationary needle cylinder, a cam box rotating at a speed of the order of 800 to 900 rpm. and having cams for operating the needles through cycles and a yarn feed ring rotating with the cam box for feeding yarn withdrawn from a stationary supply pirn to the needles to be formed into courses of stitches of the fabric. In order to overcome variations in tension in the yarn withdrawn from the pirn such machines are also provided with means for positively delivering the yarn at a uniform rate from the pirn to the needles such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,824, issued Apr. 16, 1968 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,011, issued Jan. 6, 1970. Inasmuch as in such prior machines the supply pirn and the yarn delivery means are positioned in fixed relationship with respect to the needle cylinder and rotating feed ring of such machines the fabric producing potential of the machine is limited to the feeding of a single yarn and the formation of a single course of the fabric during each rotative cycle of the cam box and feed ring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of means for feeding a pair of yarns to the needles of a circular knitting machine having a stationary needle cylinder and a cam box, rotating at high speed with cams for operating the needles to simultaneously form the yarns into courses of a tubular fabric, the feeding means, which is mounted on and rotates with the cam box, including a first rotatable feed roller on said feeding means engageable with one yarn of the pair, a second rotatable feed roller on said feeding means engageable with the other yarn of the pair, and means for rotating the first and second rollers to positively withdraw the yarns associated therewith from separate stationary supply sources and deliver the yarns to the needles of the machine. The arrangement of the parts is such that as the feed means and feed rollers thereon rotate around the axis of the needle cylinder the feed rollers are rotated about their own axis to deliver the yarns along separate feeding paths to th needles without interference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a circular knitting machine having yarn feeding means according to the invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the knitting machine as seen looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the yarn feeding means of FIG. 1 with parts being shown in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 the yarn feeding means in accordance with the instant invention is illustrated at 10in association with a high speed circular knitting machine 11 which is generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,344, issued Jan. 14, 1969. The machine 11 has a base 9 for supporting a stationary needle cylinder the lower portion of which is shown at 12 and a rotary cam box 15. As distinguished from the machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,344 the machine of the invention has two cam sets 16 and 17 in opposed relationship. The cam sets operate needles, indicated by the dotand-dash circle 20 in FIG. 2, carried in slots in the cylinder and in conjunction with sinkers (not shown) to simultaneously form yarns 21 and 22 (FIG. 6) fed to the needles and sinkers through guide tubes or eyelets -25 and 26 associated with the cam sets 16 and 17,

respectively, into courses of a tubular fabric. The guide eyelets 25 and 26 are carried in a yarn feed ring 27 secured to and rotating with the cam box 15 and the yarns 21 and 22 are adapted to be positively fed along noninterfering paths from supply cones or pirns to the eyelets in the manner hereinafter set forth.

In accordance with the instant invention the supply pirn 30 (FIG. 3) for the yarn 21, is carried on a tubular post 31 in axial alignment with the axis of the cylinder 12 between a lower flange portion 32 of a tubular housing 35 and a cap member 36 mounted on the tubular post between the upper end of the pirn and a nut 37 threadably carried on the upper end of the tubular post. The flange member 32 which forms the lower floor of the housing 35 is carried on the lower end of the post 31 between a flange portion 40 of the post and a horizontal portion 41 of a bridge member 42 having downwardly extending legs 45 secured by screws 46 to the rotating cam box 15. The post 31, the lower end of which extends through an opening in the portion 41 of the bridge member 42, and housing 35 are secured against both axial and rotative movements relatively to the bridge member 42 by a lock nut 47 threadably carried on the lower end of the post for engagement with the bottom surface of the portion 41 of the bridge member.

In use the yarn 21 is directed upwardly from the pirn 30 over the cap member 36, beneath a floating ring member 48 adapted to press and hold the yarn against the cap member when it is inadvertently broken between the ring member and feed ring 27, over the nut 37 and thence downwardly through guide eyelets 50 in the upper and lower ends of the hollow interior of the tubular post 31. From the eyelet 50 at the lower end of the post 31 the yarn 21 is directed outwardly to and through a guide eyelet 51 carried in an ear 52 projecting from the right hand leg 45 of the bridge member 42 (FIGS. 3 and 6). Fromthe eyelet 51 the yarn 21 is directed through an eyelet 55 carried in one arm 56 of a bracket 57, thence around one of a plurality of different diameter annular surfaces of a feed roller 60 for one or more turns and from the feed roller through an eyelet 61 carried in a second arm 62 of the bracket 57 to the eyelet 25 in the feed ring 27. As will be understood the annular surface of different diameter of the feed roll enable the rate of withdrawal of the yarn to be varied as may be required. The bracket 57 is mounted for vertical adjustment in a vertically extending slot (not shown) in the right leg 45 of the bridge member to adjust the eyelets 55 and 61 to the level of the annular surface of the feed roll to be engaged by the yarn. The bracket 57 is adapted to be secured in each of its adjusted positions in the leg 45 by a screw and washer indicated at 65.

As shown in FIG. 1 the pim for the yarn 22, indicated at 66, is supported in fixed position on a yarn rack, a portion of which is shown at 67, carried on a plate 68 mounted in fixed position on the base 9. The yarn 22 is directed upwardly from the pirn 66 through pigtail guides 70 carried on a bracket 71 mounted on the upper end of a post 72 fixed in and extending upwardly from the yarn rack 67. From the pigtail guides 70 the yarn 22 is directed downwardly through a guide eyelet 75 suitably mounted on the outer surface of the tubular housing adjacent the upper end thereof and through guide eyelets 76 suitably mounted on the bottom surface of the flange member 32 of the housing 35 (FIG. 3). From the eyelets 76 the yarn 22 is directed through a guide eyelet 77 carried by an ear 80 projecting from the left leg 45 of the bridge member 42 (FIG. 6) and hence through an eyelet 81 in one arm 82 of a bracket 85, a selected one of a plurality of different diameter annular surfaces of a feed roller 86 (FIG. 3) for one or more turns and from the feed roller through a guide eyelet 87 in a second arm 90 of the bracket to the eyelet 26 in the feed ring 27. The bracket 85 is mounted for vertical adjustment in a vertically extending slot 91 (FIG. 3) in the left leg 45 of the bridge member 42 to adjust the eyelets 81 and 87 to the level of the annular surface of the feed roller 86 to be engaged by the yarn 22 to provide the desired rate. of withdrawal of the yarn. The bracket 85, similarly to the bracket 57 is secured in each of its adjusted positions by a washer and screw 65.

The feed roller 86 is suitably secured to the lower end of a shaft 92 rotatably mounted in ball bearings 95 carried in a boss 96 at the free end of an arm 97 of a lever 100. Lever 100, which is mounted for pivotal movement on a stud 101 carried in the horizontal portion 41 of the bridge member 42, (FIGS. 3, 4 and has a second arm 102. A spring 105 connected between the free end of the am 102 and a pin 106 in the portion 41 normally tends to bias the lever 100 clockwise, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, to move a toothed gear 107 secured to the upper end of the shaft 92 into meshing engagement with internal gear teeth 110 of a ring gear 111. The ring gear 111 is supported in fixed position at the level of the gear 107 by posts 112 carried by the plate 68.

The feed roller 60 is suitably secured to the lower end of a shaft 115 rotatably mounted in ball bearings,

which are not shown but are similar to the ball bearings 95 for the shaft 92, carried in a boss 116 at the free end of one arm 117 ofa lever 120 (FIG. 5). The lever 120, which is pivotally mounted on a stud 121 carried in the portion 41 of the bridge member 42, has a second arm 122. A spring 125 connected between the free end of the arm 122 and a pin 126 in the bridge member 42 normally tends to bias the lever clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, to move a toothed gear 127 secured to the upper end of the shaft 1 15 into meshing en mnt 'th ete 11 intheri e 11.

i bel ieve to geo vi ous 20m the fb rgg ing atas the cam box 15 and feed ring 27 are rotated around the needle cylinder 12 the bridge member, feed rollers and guide eyelets associated with the yarns also rotate around the cylinder to maintain the feed paths of the yarns from their supply sources to the feed ring 27 in fixed relationship at all times. Furthermore, this rotative movement of the feed rollers around the needle cylinder is utilized to rotate the feed rollers around their own axis to positively deliver the yarns from their supply sources to the needles.

It will be understood that the improvement specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a stationary cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a cam box rotatable relative to said cylinder, first and second cam sets on said cam box for simultaneously operating said needles through knitting paths during each rotation of said cam box, yarn feed means mounted on said cam box for rotation therewith for feeding first and second yarns to said needles to be formed into courses of stitches during operation of said needles by said first and second cam sets, said yarn feed means including a first rotatable feed roller engageable with said first yarn to withdraw said first yarn from a first supply source, a second rotatable feed roller engageable with said second yarn to withdraw said second yarn from a second supply source, means for mounting said first and second feed rollers for rotation on said yarn feed means, gear means for rotating said mounting means for said first and second feed rollers, means for carrying said first supply source for said first yarn on said yarn feed means for rotation therewith, means for supporting said second supply source for said second yarn in fixed position on said machine, a first guiding means rotatable with said carrying means for said first supply source for guiding said first yarn from said first supply source to said first feed roller and from the latter to said needles, second guiding means rotatable with said carrying means for said first supply source and said feed means for said first yarn for guiding said second yarn from said second supply source to said second feed roller and from the latter to said needles, each said first and second feed rollers for said first and second yarns, respectively, including a plurality of different diameter surfaces engageable by said yarns for varying their rate of withdrawal from said supply sources and said first and second guiding means including further means for said yarns for guiding the latter to the different diameter surfaces of their respective feed rollers. 

1. In a knitting machine having a stationary cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a cam box rotatable relative to said cylinder, first and second cam sets on said cam box for simultaneously operating said needles through knitting paths during each rotation of said cam box, yarn feed means mounted on said cam box for rotation therewith for feeding first and second yarns to said needles to be formed into courses of stitches during operation of said needles by said first and second cam sets, said yarn feed means including a first rotatable feed roller engageable with said first yarn to withdraw said first yarn from a first supply source, a second rotatable feed roller engageable with said second yarn to withdraw said second yarn from a second supply source, means for mounting said first and second feed rollers for rotation on said yarn feed means, gear means for rotating said mounting means for said first and second feed rollers, means for carrying said first supply source for said first yarn on said yarn feed means for rotation therewith, means for supporting said second supply source for said second yarn in fixed position on said machine, a first guiding means rotatable with said carrying means for said first supply source for guiding said first yarn from said first supply source to said first feed roller and from the latter to said needles, second guiding means rotatable with said carrying means for said first supply source and said feed means for said first yarn for guiding said second yarn from said second supply source to said second feed roller and from the latter to said needles, each said first and second feed rollers for said first and second yarns, respectively, including a plurality of different diameter surfaces engageable by said yarns for varying their rate of withdrawal from said supply sources and said first and second guiding means including further means for said yarns for guiding the latter to the different diameter surfaces of their respective feed rollers. 